Researchers find cannabis can help treat cancer

New study shows potential of cannabis to treat pancreatic cancer

A recent study by researchers with Dana Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School has found that a flavonoid derived from cannabis has the potential to treat some forms of cancer. The study looked at the impact of FBL-03G flavonoid on the progression of tumours related to pancreatic cancer.

Results led researchers to conclude that chemical found in cannabis demonstrated “significant therapy potential” in the treatment of pancreatic cancer.

In the study, published 23rd July 2019 on Frontiers in Oncology website, researchers write:

[This] study reports on a new non-cannabinoid, non-psychoactive derivative of cannabis, termed FBL-03G, with the potential to treat pancreatic cancer.

In vitro results show major increase in apoptosis and consequential decrease in survival for two pancreatic cancer models- Panc-02 and KPC pancreatic cancer cells treated with varying concentrations of FBL-03G and radiotherapy. Meanwhile, in vivo results demonstrate therapeutic efficacy in delaying both local and metastatic tumor progression in animal models with pancreatic cancer when using FBL-03G sustainably delivered from smart radiotherapy biomaterials.

Repeated experiments also showed significant (P < 0.0001) increase in survival for animals with pancreatic cancer compared to control cohorts. The findings demonstrate the potential for this new cannabis derivative in the treatment of both localized and advanced pancreatic cancer, providing impetus for further studies toward clinical translation.